


Passion and Pleasure

by britishmenaredestroyingmylife



Category: British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: 69 (Sex Position), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bodice-Ripper, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Historical, Murder, Oral Sex, Past Violence, Pregnancy, Prostitution, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, Sex, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Sexual Inexperience, Shameless Smut, Smut, Spooning, Unplanned Pregnancy, Violence, Woman on Top
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-01
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-03-10 01:19:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3271433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/britishmenaredestroyingmylife/pseuds/britishmenaredestroyingmylife





	1. Chapter 1

Aurelia sat quietly at a table in the back, trying to ignore the salivating glances of the men around her. It was her first night, and although she had accepted that this was her only option, she couldn’t help her feelings of humiliation.

Her mother would be so ashamed of her.

She pushed the thought away as her eyes darted to Madam Claudette, who was engaged in light banter with some university men who had just walked in. They laughed too loudly, indicating that they were already slightly drunk, and Aurelia prayed to whatever saints would listen that she wouldn’t wind up with one of them for her first client.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She had only been with one other man – a stable boy who seduced her when she was fifteen – and he had used her body quickly, pumping in and out with abandon despite her cries of pain. He spilled into her, rolled off, and then left without a word while tears streamed down her face. He had returned to her a few more times in the following weeks and they’d repeated the act, although the best she could say about it was that it hadn’t hurt as much as that first time. He seemed to get some pleasure out of it, but she mostly tolerated it for the sake of keeping him as a possible marriage prospect.

He’d left for another town shortly thereafter. She found out from a friend.

She’d told Madam Claudette this. Her response had been that it was good training for a whore, as that was how most men were. Aurelia supposed she could handle that. She was good with money; she expected that if she were careful, she could save up enough within a few years and leave the life of the brothel behind, and perhaps get a small cottage further out in the country.

“Aurelia!”

She gave a little jump, and a few of the men at nearby tables laughed. She stood up, mustering as much of her dignity as she could given the circumstances, and moved toward the madam. To her surprise, the university boys had already disappeared with their selected ladies, and standing next to Madam Claudette was a tall man in a dark cloak. His blue eyes bored into her and she averted her gaze.

“Aurelia, this is Lord Hiddleston, an Englishman who has seen fit to grace our establishment with his presence.”

The man gave a small bow, and Aurelia had a moment to take in his appearance. He had wavy ginger hair and a close-cropped mustache and beard. His cheekbones were high and his nose and forehead hinted at his noble lineage. His thin lips were set in a straight line, betraying no emotion.

“He has requested you for this evening,” Madam Claudette continued. “And I have assured him that you will do all within your power to give him a pleasurable night.”

Aurelia nodded. “Of course, your lordship. I thank you for the compliment.”

“She will have no other clients tonight, Madam,” he said. Aurelia had to stifle a gasp, as something about his voice had awoken a thrill of desire in her. He spoke with a gentle authority, as one who expected obedience and was seldom refused.

Madam Claudette narrowed her eyes for a moment, as if considering this; then, she let out a simpering laugh. “Ah, your lordship, as you wish. I am sure you will make good use of her!”

He locked his intense gaze back on Aurelia. “Lead on, my lady.”

Aurelia took his outstretched hand and guided him up the stairs. The narrow, dark hallway was filled with the muffled sounds of whores and their clients energetically rutting, and she felt his grasp tighten the slightest bit as she reached the final door. She pushed it open; the room was garishly decorated, the bed sloppily made, and for a brief moment she hesitated.

Apparently he could sense it, because he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. She gave a start, as the last thing she was taught to expect from clients was tenderness. He closed the door and removed his cloak, hanging it on a hook before turning to face her. She found herself admiring his tall, lithe frame, and before she could stop herself she reached out and ran her fingers down his chest.

“I’m sorry!” she gasped, pulling away as though burned. She stared at the floor, certain she had taken an unforgivable liberty, but then she felt a long forefinger slip under her chin and guide her face upwards. To her surprise, he was smiling, and his somewhat severe features were suddenly infused with warmth and good humor.

“The madam tells me you are new,” he said. “She said this to warn me, I believe, to persuade me to choose a different girl. You  _are_ inexperienced, are you not?”

Aurelia’s cheeks burned with indignation. She couldn’t even be treated as a whore; no, she had to be treated as an inexperienced whore, one who would not know how to properly please men, who had to be broken in like a horse. She opened her mouth to fire back a response but stopped herself.

He was a lord. He would be paying for an entire night. And she would not be thrown out into the cold because of her temper.

He stroked her cheek, as if soothing her. “Aurelia, I think you misunderstand me. It does not matter to me if you are inexperienced.”

“I am simply new to the brothel, your lordship,” she allowed.

“And I am not one to frequent brothels, truth be told,” he replied. “However, I have found my time in France to be exceptionally lonely, and I desired the company of a beautiful woman. You know you are beautiful, do you not, Aurelia?”

She blushed. “I thank you for the compliment, Lord Hiddleston.”

“I would prefer it if you called me Tom.”

She stared at him. “Tom. Thank you.”

His hands were caressing her upturned face. “These are not idle words of flattery. I saw you and I could not help myself. You are very beautiful, my dear.”

She couldn’t help the contented sigh that escaped her lips as she pressed her cheek into his rough, callused hands.

“I will spend the night here, Aurelia, with you. I will not hurt you, I will not abuse you, and if I do anything which you do not find pleasurable you need only say the word and I will cease. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

“I desire you, Aurelia,” he murmured, and then he pressed his thin lips to hers. His stubble gently scratched at her cheek as he deepened the kiss, and she felt her body respond of its own accord, her back arching as he pressed himself to her. His hands ran down her sides, pausing at the smallest part of her waist where her bodice was almost painfully tight.

“My lord,” she gasped as he tightened his grip on her and began kissing down her neck.

“Will you undress me, Aurelia?” he whispered.

“Of course,” she replied, a little breathless. She unfastened his waistcoat and pushed it off his shoulders before setting to work on his shirt. She removed it to discover his naked torso, lean and somewhat muscled, with a narrow waist and a tantalizing trail of dark hair leading into his breeches. She unlaced them slowly, her fingers trembling as she pushed them off his hips. He stepped out of his boots and allowed her to continue; his cock sprang free, then his strong thighs were revealed. Finally he stood naked before her, his manhood proudly erect amidst the nest of curls at his groin, and she found herself breathing heavily as she admired him.

“Am I pleasing to you, Aurelia?” he whispered, and she was surprised to see a genuine hopeful pleading in his eyes.

“You are handsome and strong, my lord,” she replied honestly.

“Please – my name is Tom,” he said, and he stepped forward to grasp her hips again. She let out a brief cry of pain as the boning of her corset dug into her skin, and he immediately pulled back. “Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, my lord – er – Tom – it is only my dress… it is… tighter than I am accustomed to.”

“So tight that it causes you pain?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes.”

To her shock, he grasped the neckline of her dress with both hands and tore it, ripping it right down the middle. She moaned with pleasure as her flesh blossomed in its freedom, and then felt him tugging at her undergarments, again tearing them right off her and leaving her naked before him. The tattered shreds of her clothes lay at her feet, and she was so overwhelmed with the pleasure of no longer being trussed up that she failed to notice him kneeling before her. She gasped as she felt him kissing the angry red indentations on her skin, his fingers massaging her backside before he pressed his mouth to her womanhood.

“Oh God!” she cried out, instinctively grasping at his hair as he licked up her entrance. She had never experienced this kind before, and when his tongue found the little button of flesh that she had never before explored, she nearly screamed in ecstasy.

Suddenly she felt herself being lifted; his strong arms were beneath her legs and he carried her to the bed, laying her down and continuing his ministrations with his mouth. His fingers plunged into her and she heard herself making sounds she had never before made as he brought her to new heights. There was a sensation of flying higher and higher, as though she were climbing a previously unknown mountain of pleasure, and she quivered as her body tightened. His tongue moved in maddening circles around that little pearl and his fingers stroked her inner walls, and suddenly her breath was gone; she was arching off the bed, a heat exploding deep within her pelvis and causing her entire frame to spasm uncontrollably.

After a minute or two she realized she was staring at the ceiling, her mind hazy and unfocused.

“My lord, I am sorry – ”

“Please call me Tom,” he said, chuckling. “I will simply repeat this request until you obey, my dear.”

She smiled and laughed. “I am sorry, Tom, I don’t… I have never had a man… put his mouth on me… I don’t know what happened.”

He was lying beside her on the bed and rolled on his side, kissing her tenderly. “Then I am glad I was the first. You were simply reaching your peak.”

She narrowed her eyes in confusion.

“Sweet Aurelia, did you not know that women could receive pleasure as men do?”

She shook her head. “I did not. My… that is to say, I have only known it to be pleasurable for the man.”

“Then I am also glad I could show you otherwise.” He stroked her cheek again and she kissed him of her own accord, finding herself drawn more and more to this tender gentleman who seemed so out of place in these sordid surroundings. “May I take you now, Aurelia?”

“Of course, my – Tom.”

He smiled as he positioned himself on top of her and began to push his thick, engorged cock inside of her swollen pussy. She realized she was wet, much wetter than she had ever been with her previous lover, and although he was much larger he slid inside her easily.

“Oh, Aurelia… your cunny is so sweet and tight,” he whispered before sucking at her neck.

“Ah, Tom… you are so big and handsome,” she moaned, reaching down to grope his toned backside. She rolled her eyes in pleasure as she felt his taut muscles flex and release as he thrust inside her, fucking her at a leisurely pace, taking his time as he continued to suckle at her. He moved down to take one of her stiff nipples into his mouth and she threw her head back, losing herself to his mouth and cock.

He clasped one of her hands and guided it down between them, to that engorged bundle of nerves he had so expertly manipulated with his mouth, and placed her fingers on it. “There…” he grunted. “Touch yourself… there… please…”

She obeyed and gave a little yelp of pleasure as she found the pearl sensitized to her touch; she circled it in the same way he had done with his tongue earlier and was pleasantly surprised to feel that same warmth blooming in her nether regions as he began to pump in and out of her more quickly.

“Are you close, sweetling?” he whispered.

“Yes!” she gasped. “Oh God, Tom! Yes! Yes!  _Ah!_ ”

Before she could realize what was happening, she peaked again, her body trembling forcefully around him, and she heard him cry out as her cunt drew him in deeper. She came back to herself just in time to watch his face contort in ecstasy. He screamed her name as he spent his seed deep inside of her, his cock twitching and his arms shaking with the effort of holding himself up.

She encircled her arms around his back and drew him close, and he allowed himself to relax into her embrace. His full weight on top of her was soothing and intimate, and she found herself nodding off into sleep.

Suddenly she awakened. The room was dark and he lay next to her on his side, his eyes still open but his expression one of sleepy satisfaction.

“My – Tom – I am so sorry, sir – you have me for the entire night,” she sputtered, embarrassed. “I am so sorry; I am awake now. What more would you like to do?”

He laughed softly and pulled her close. “Do not fear, sweet Aurelia. All I would like to do is stay here and sleep in your arms for the remainder of the night. Would that be acceptable to you?”

Despite the delight of her post-coital haze, a niggling voice in the back of her head reminded her that this was only temporary; he had used her, as any man would, and he would be gone in the morning. He might return, but he would never return as her suitor, as her lover, even as her friend.

Yet this knowledge did not stop her from nodding. “Yes, Tom. Stay with me.”

“I will. Sleep, my darling girl.”

She curled up in his arms and drifted away.


	2. Chapter 2

_“He must be stupid. Or perhaps he was a virgin and did not know any better.”_

_“She barely knows what she’s doing. Given half a chance, I could do things to that lord that would make him beg for mercy!”_

_“Wish I only had to deal with one bastard every night like her, it would be a hell of a lot easier on my back.”_

_“And her so young, she could handle twenty of them before sunup if she had a mind to…”_

_“Have you noticed how sometimes it seems like she’s not doing anything at all in there? Too quiet, the bedsprings don’t make a sound. As if she’s not even trying to earn her fee.”_

_“There’s some sort of trickery afoot with that lord, I tell you…”_

_“Shhh, she’s coming!”_

She kept her head held high as she walked into the lounge area to prepare for the evening. For a week now, Aurelia had been acutely aware that the whispers of the other girls had been dying quickly whenever she entered the room. Few would speak directly to her; those that did were cool and spoke only of the running of the brothel. Madam Claudette, on the other hand, was absolutely overflowing with praise, to the point where Aurelia felt slightly sickened every time the woman drew near. She knew the compliments were only because the madam’s purse was that much heavier thanks to her special client, and the extra attention certainly wasn’t doing anything to endear her to the other girls, either.

It had been nearly a month since Lord Tom Hiddleston had first made his appearance, and to everyone’s shock – Aurelia’s most of all – he had returned to the brothel every night at the same time. He would see only her, and his only request to the madam was that she was his for the entire night. They would usually fuck, sometimes raucously, with laughter and play wrestling; sometimes urgently, both seeking their release quickly; sometimes slowly and tenderly, his eyes locked on hers with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. Then, spent, they would fall asleep.

But then, there were other nights, nights when he came to her and his eyes were tired and careworn. He would allow her to strip him before he returned the favor, and then, naked, he would take her to bed. She would whisper soothing words of comfort and he would hold her tightly to him, as though afraid of what would happen if he let go – and then he would sleep, and she would sleep, and that would be all that happened between them. On those nights, she allowed herself a small measure of wishful dreaming; then, she would remind herself she was a prostitute, with a client, lying on the worn-out mattress of a common brothel.

In the morning, she would wake when he did, and he would kiss her and tell her she would see him later. And she would.

Aurelia could not pretend she truly understood what there was between them. She still knew so little about him and felt it would be impudent to pry. All she knew was that she had walked into this life expecting the worst, to be used, abused, and discarded repeatedly night after night, and instead she was actually – although she dared not speak the word out loud –  _happy_. Except for the needling fear that he would abandon her (and it was a very real fear, albeit one that she did not often acknowledge), she felt satisfied, desired, and hopeful for the future.

Yet she could not deny that the coldness of the other girls was distressing her. Most of them had been, if a bit abrasive, at least friendly when she first came to Madam Claudette’s seeking employment; one or two had even gone out of their way to offer her as many tips and tricks as they could before she started. They were the ones who now avoided her entirely, going so far as to ignore her even when she spoke directly to them.

The door creaked open and a bit of snow blew in as the first customers of the evening arrived, a group of regulars from the nearby pub. They had noticed Aurelia’s nightly caller as well, and had made a habit of harassing her until he arrived.

“Aurelia, when will you let me taste your sweet little pussy?” one of them taunted loudly. She ignored him, her eyes locked on the door.

“No, no, Aurelia’s pussy is English property now!” Loud laughter ensued from both the men and the girls.

“Yeah, I bet he’s fucked her enough that we’ll be seeing the bastard product of Britain’s  _glorious triumph_  in a few months now!”

The door had opened just as these words were uttered, and a cool, crisp voice cut through the air. “Is that so?”

The smiles were wiped off the men’s faces the moment they caught a glimpse of him. He drew the hood of his cloak back as he shut the door behind him and casually brushed the snow off his front.

The girls, always on the alert for any possible trouble, immediately turned their attentions to the men who had been taunting Aurelia, tittering and flirting with them in hopes of relieving the tension in the room.

Aurelia stood silently in the back, watching as he approached the man who had uttered the words. Celine was planted on the man’s lap, whispering in his ear, but he was still as a statue, staring up at Lord Hiddleston’s imposing figure.

The man swallowed; Celine looked up at Tom, flushed.

“My lord, he was speaking in jest!” she said. “We are a humble establishment. We are not used to seeing upstanding English gentlemen such as yourself frequenting one of our ladies.”

“I thank you, young lady, but I would prefer it if the gentleman would speak for himself.” Tom’s eyes had not left the man’s face once, and he seemed to be crumpling under his steely blue gaze.

“It’s just – well – you could share! We’d all like a crack at her, now, wouldn’t we?” the man said stupidly, looking around at his friends, who suddenly all seemed extremely interested in the carpet.

Aurelia saw Tom’s jaw clench slightly; then, to her surprise, he let out a laugh – but it was a hard, mirthless laugh that did not reach his eyes. “Sir, the lady is right – you must be jesting, for surely even a fool such as you would not stoop to speak of a young woman in such a disrespectful manner.”

Celine looked like she was about to hit something before bursting out, “My  _lord_ , I think he’s just as surprised as all of us that an  _upstanding gentleman_ such as yourself is spending so much time with some silly little  _whore_  in a French brothel.”

Madam Claudette chose this moment to emerge from the kitchen, and upon hearing Celine, she looked mortified. “Sir! My lord! Oh, Lord Hiddleston, I am so sorry –  _keep a civil tongue in your head, Celine_! Apologize to the gentleman at once!”

“It’s quite all right,” Tom said, his tone icy. He finally turned toward the madam, withdrawing a number of coins from his cloak. “I will be seeing Aurelia, Madam Claudette, under the usual arrangement.”

She nodded, eagerly pocketing the money. “Of course, sir. She is ready for you.”

When they reached the bedroom at the end of the hall, Tom closed the door quietly behind them and removed his cloak. Aurelia moved to undress him, but he stopped her.

“Aurelia. May we sit for a moment?”

Confused, she nodded, and seated herself primly on the bed. He took his place next to her and then clasped her hand.

“Aurelia, I am sorry.”

She felt her insides clench in fear.  _He’s leaving._ “Tom?”

“I did not realize the position in which I was putting you.” He stroked her hair idly. “It was foolish of me to think I could have you all to myself without consequence. Has it been very bad for you here?”

She looked at the floor, uncertain how to answer. She certainly did not want him to stop coming to see her, but she did not want to lie to him, either. “I have you, Tom. My lord. Therefore it could not possibly be bad for me.”

“You flatter me, sweetling.” He studied her face and kissed her softly. “I want to ask you some questions, Aurelia, and I would like you to answer them honestly. Would you do that for me?”

Her insides clenched again. She disliked the personal turn this conversation was taking. “What manner of questions, Tom?”

“I want to know more about you. What led you here.”

She flinched. “That is the past and I prefer to keep it… in the past.”

He sighed and stroked her fingers. “I know. And I know I have no right to it. I pay for the pleasure of your company; I am not your suitor, or lover. Or husband.” He paused, and she could not tell if she had imagined the bitterness in his tone. “But I would like to think of myself as, at the very least, your friend. I could not think myself so if I were to go on knowing nothing about you… save the details of our intimate encounters.” He allowed himself a small smile.

She mulled it over, then kissed his stubbly cheek. “I will tell you the briefest of histories, Tom.” She steeled herself before speaking. “I grew up on a small farm. My father died when I was young. My mother died last year. My older brothers are in the army, and I have not seen them in a very long time. I do not think they shall ever return. I came here because I was desperate, and I have had no clients apart from you.” She paused and swallowed, angry at herself for the lump that had formed in her throat without her consent. “And if you are not my friend, Tom… truly I fear I would have none.”

He pulled her close and enveloped her in his arms. “Beautiful Aurelia. Sweet Aurelia,” he breathed, caressing her shoulder. The tears rolled hot down her cheeks and she cursed herself for her vulnerability. “I will always be your friend.”

She kissed him, hard, willing away the tears. “No more talk, please. Take me, Tom, please take me…”

“I intend to,” he murmured. He began to pull at the ties of her bodice while she unfastened his waistcoat, and soon they were tearing at their clothes like madmen, each of them aggressively swallowing the other’s moans with passionate kisses. She gently guided him to lie back on the bed and kneeled between his strong legs; his flaccid cock was lying against his stomach and she ran her tongue up along the underside, drawing a gasp from his lips. He reached down and she reached up, their fingers interlocking in a familiar gesture of intimacy while she suckled at his rapidly hardening length. She swirled her tongue around the head and then sealed her lips over it, pleased to feel him growing in her mouth, and his free hand tangled in her hair, pulling it back off her face so that he could watch her work him.

He was nearly fully hard now and she continued licking up his shaft, teasing him, before lapping at the fluid starting to pool on his tip. Then she once again wrapped her lips around him and began bobbing, forward and back, forward and back, and the sounds he made while she hummed around him sent a rush of warmth down to her core.

“Aurelia…  _Aurelia…_  wait…” he panted, sitting up. She pulled off him with a popping sound and looked at him questioningly. “Let me… I’d like to try something… come here, darling.”

She crawled up the bed and lay beside him. “How would you like me, Tom?”

He closed his eyes for a moment. “Here, sweetheart… could you… I would very much like to taste you… while you taste me.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “How – ?”

“Here. Kneel – so that you’re above – like this – ” He helped her position herself over him so that she was facing his feet and straddling his face.

“Tom, I –  _ohhh_ ,” she moaned as she felt his fingers and tongue begin to work on her. She canted her hips slightly so that he had better access, then leaned forward. She then understood what he had meant, and maneuvered so that her head was just above his thick, wet cock. She grasped the base of his shaft and once again took him into her mouth, and he moaned into her pussy, the vibrations sending delicious little waves of pleasure through her. He suddenly thrust his hips upwards, hitting the back of her throat, and she suppressed a gag; he pulled off her for a moment.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Aurelia, is this – are you – ”

“Tom, please, don’t stop,” she replied. She couldn’t explain it; something about the taboo of both of them fucking each other’s mouths at the same time was incredibly arousing, and her hips, too, started to move of their own accord, bucking and gently riding Tom’s face. He was thrusting shallowly into her mouth, and she could feel the warmth building in her core. His tongue flicked over that little button of flesh she’d become so well-acquainted with during their times together, and the long fingers of one of his hands pumped into her cunny while the other squeezed her behind. She fondled his heavy balls and slurped at him loudly, aware of how much he loved hearing her mouth, and she saw the muscles in his stomach tighten.

He drew her bud into his mouth and sucked heartily and she pulled off him as she cried out her release, her body shaking uncontrollably as burning pleasure shot out to every extremity. He lapped at her gently as she recovered; his cock was lying on his belly, covered in saliva, and she quickly took him back into her mouth and sucked him, hard.

“Oh…  _oh… oh God, Aurelia, I… I…_ ”

He thrust up one last time, but she was ready for it and pulled back as he shot off in her mouth, his seed hitting the back of her throat and covering her tongue. She swallowed all of it and then licked him clean while he softened; she tenderly kissed his cock before flipping onto her back and crawling up next to him.

They both stared at the ceiling, dazed, before Tom started laughing. Aurelia glanced at him, unable to hide her satisfied smile. “Tom?”

“Sweet Aurelia… I have to be frank with you… I will always be your friend, but I certainly cannot imagine doing  _that_  with  _any_ other friend of mine.” He grinned at her, and she felt an ache deep inside when she saw how beautiful he was.

He grabbed her and kissed her; she could taste herself on his lips and reveled in it during those last few moments before they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

The next morning she awoke when she felt him stir; he was pulling on his clothes, and gave a little laugh when he saw that there was a rather large tear down the middle of his shirt.

“I do so love your passion, sweetling,” he said softly as she also began to dress. He pulled on his boots and grabbed his cloak, then kissed her. “I will see you tonight.”

She nodded and smiled, and he left.

She went downstairs to go wash and change in her small room, and to her surprise, she saw Celine’s door open. Usually by the time she awakened the other girls were all asleep on their cots in their tiny rooms, but she was drawn by the sound of sobs. She approached and saw Celine sitting on the floor crying plaintively, with Jeanne and Estelle trying to comfort her. Aurelia drew nearer, and Celine looked up.

“You –  _you – bitch!_ ” she screamed, jumping to her feet and lunging for her before the other two girls grabbed her and dragged her back.

Aurelia stared, shocked. “What – ?”

“After your –  _lord –_ took you off to fuck last night, Madam Claudette sacked Celine,” Jeanne said through gritted teeth.

Celine wailed hopelessly. “Where will I  _go_?”

Aurelia was having trouble processing this news. “Celine was fired because she spoke to Tom?”

“Yes, your  _Lord Hiddleston_  is apparently more vital to this whorehouse than the actual whores,” Estelle spat. “Celine will be out on the street because of _you_ , you little slut! We whores are supposed to stick together. You’ve sold us all out with your little arrangement, and we will not forget this. You had better watch your step!”

With that, she slammed the door in Aurelia’s face.


	3. Chapter 3

It was two weeks in a row now that she had been sick.

Aurelia was a lot of things, but she was not stupid; she had seen the signs, had watched some of the other girls in her village come down with the same symptoms when they were with child. She stared at her reflection in the mirror; her belly was still soft and slightly rounded as before, but she suspected the softness was now hiding the evidence of her and Tom’s nightly tumbles.

She was almost sure the other girls hadn’t noticed yet, which was somewhat reassuring. Ever since Celine had been thrown out – nearly six weeks ago now – none of them spoke to her except to insult her, and even Madam Claudette had ceased in her overzealous attentions, as though punishing Aurelia along with everyone else.

She had known this was bound to happen eventually, but now that it was real, she found her emotions battling against her good sense. She had been told that the girls typically went to a doctor at the edge of town who would take care of these sorts of problems before they became noticeable to the patrons. But Aurelia couldn’t help feeling that her circumstances were different; after all, she only had one client, so there was no question as to who the father was, and given Tom’s tenderness toward her she was almost convinced he would want to know.

Almost.

It was so hard to live without a single confidante, without any support whatsoever, and Aurelia still battled the fear that Tom would eventually leave her for good. If she told him and he was pleased, well, she was certain he would support her and the child; however, if she told him and he was angry, he could abandon her, and then she was bound to lose the child as well as become the most openly despised whore in the brothel, thrown to the lowest filth who came in.

She gritted her teeth and smoothed down her dress before spritzing some perfume behind her ears and heading to the lounge. She had just sat down when Tom entered. He said nothing; he simply handed the money to the madam, nodded, and walked towards Aurelia.

She took his hand and led him to their room, as always.

The moment the door closed he was on her. “Beautiful girl,” he whispered as he embraced her from behind, kissing down her neck. She thrilled at his touch, allowing her head to fall back against his chest as he squeezed her breast. 

"Oh, Tom…"

“I’ve brought you something.” He pulled away for a moment and his hand disappeared inside his cloak as she turned.

A small box emerged from the fabric, and she opened it; inside were four fine chocolates.

"These are your favorites, are they not?" He was grinning at her expectantly.

“Yes! Tom, thank you! I – oh – ” The moment the sweet scent had reached her nose her stomach lurched, and she slammed her lips shut in a fruitless attempt to force the bile back down her throat. She ran to the chamber-pot in the corner and retched, shaking feebly as she tried in vain to stop herself. After a minute it seemed her body was done betraying her, and she sat back on her heels, tears pouring down her cheeks.

“Aurelia, my God, you are ill?” Tom whispered as he knelt beside her and drew his cloak around her shivering body.

She didn’t respond.

“Why did you not say something?”

Her eyes met his and she blinked, trying to stop her pathetic crying.

“Aurelia – is it – are you – ?” His face was anxious; she covered her eyes and nodded.

“I have been… sick… for a fortnight now,” she said haltingly. “It is possible it is only the food, but…”

“You are with child.”

She could not hold it back any longer; she wailed pitifully. “Tom, I am sorry…”

He held her close and rocked her. “No… no… you shall not apologize…”

“I did not know whether to tell you,” she cried. “We are not supposed to tell the men… you must not tell Madam Claudette…”

“I shall not breathe a word,” he murmured. For several minutes, the room was filled with her broken sobs as he continued to rock her, humming quietly to soothe her. Finally he spoke. “Aurelia.”

She chanced a look at him. His face was inscrutable. “Yes?”

“Would you have my child?”

She wrapped her arms around her belly protectively. “Would you want the bastard child of a whore?”

“I would and I do,” he said, nuzzling her cheek. “Aurelia, if I were to… I…” He looked at her face searchingly. “I would take you as my wife, if you would have me.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “As your…  _wife_?”

He nodded, a small smile forming on his lips. “If you would take me as your husband.”

She climbed onto his lap, her arms locking tight around his shoulders. “Of course I would.”

“But I…” He seemed to be struggling with something. His hands laced in her hair and stroked her gently. “Aurelia, you have not asked me to explain my behavior, and for that I have been grateful. But now I must tell you my history, and it is not a happy one.”

She still clung to him as he spoke softly.

“I was… married. My wife was beautiful, much like you, and we lived together in England for a year near my father’s estate. Then my father died, and I discovered he had been… he was involved in things I had not imagined. Business deals designed to drive men to the poorhouse. Property schemes that were practically extortion. I…”

Aurelia felt something damp against her cheek and she looked up, shocked to see Tom crying.

“I tried to make it right, but my father’s business partners were not men to be trifled with, and they demanded that I continue these dealings as executor of my father’s estate. Well, I – I did – I hated myself for it, but to my shame I wound up forcing a man, along with his wife and child, into the street.”

Aurelia found her insides twisting at the thought.

“Around that time my wife gave birth to a daughter, and she was a sweet girl, oh, the two of them were… my everything… but…”

He gripped her closer.

“The man came to us, late at night. The one I had evicted. It was winter, and his wife and child were dead – of hunger or illness, I don’t know. He bound me, and he slit my wife’s throat in front of me and threw my child out the second-story window.”

Aurelia gasped in horror, her stomach threatening to expel its contents once again.

“I begged him not to, I begged him to kill me instead, but he said it was only fair… as I had killed his family and left him with nothing… he would do the same to me.”

Tom’s tears flowed freely now and his shoulders shook.

“That was three years ago. By the time the authorities tracked him down, he was dead, too.”

Aurelia couldn’t help herself. “My God, Tom. I am so sorry…”

A sob escaped his lips. “I knew I couldn’t… continue doing what I had been doing. I was disgusted with myself; after all, if I had not acted against my conscience, my family would still be alive. It was my fault they were dead, and I vowed I would not assist with those vile practices any further. But my father’s partners, they… they’re vicious men, Aurelia. They threatened me and even set fire to part of the estate while I was sleeping. So I fled.”

He kissed her forehead.

“I fled here. To France. I have been living in secrecy for over a year now. A friend had a small piece of property he no longer used, so he sold it to me under a false name. But every day, Aurelia, every day I fear they will find me… and that is why…”

“We cannot marry. Not here,” she finished.

He kissed her. “Not yet, Aurelia.”

There was a long silence as she processed his words; he rocked her back and forth.

"Tom, you truly wish to marry me?"

His grip tightened around her. “I do.”

“We will go to the Americas, then,” she said simply.

He narrowed his eyes. “The Americas?”

“They would not track us over there.”

He pondered this for a moment. “You are correct… but over there my title is meaningless, and I would have access to none of my wealth.”

“Tom,” she said softly. “I care nothing for your wealth. I want to be with you, and I want to bear our child in safety. I know it might be difficult, but… we are both healthy and strong. I can work,” she said, jutting her chin out. “I grew up on a farm. If we could get a small plot… we would not be rich, perhaps… but I think we would be happy.”

“You would leave France for me?” he whispered.

“Of course I would,” she said, laughing.

“You do not hate me for what I have done?”

She shook her head. “The past should remain in the past. I have told you this before.” She pushed a stray lock of his hair back off his forehead. “We are neither of us strangers to tragedy.”

He kissed her, hard, his fingers caressing the back of her neck. “Sweetling… are you sure?”

“Yes. Now, no more talking,” she replied. “Take me to bed, Tom.”

He lifted her as though she weighed nothing and walked her to the bed before placing her down gently. He pulled off his clothing as she did the same, and when she was bare before him he knelt down and kissed her belly. “You are carrying my child,” he said reverently. “And you will be my wife.”

“I love you, Tom,” she said.

His face nearly glowed with pleasure at the words. “I love you, too, Aurelia.”

“Make love to me,” she murmured.

“Lie on your side,” he whispered. “Please.”

She obeyed and he climbed into bed next to her so that his front was flush with her back. She loved when he took her like this and he knew it; he gently parted her legs and pulled the top one over his hip, opening her wide. The swollen head of his cock nudged against her soft, wet entrance, and she reached back to run her fingers through his ginger curls.

“Aurelia, sweet Aurelia…” he moaned as he slid inside of her, and she cried out; she was so wet for him, her hormones already in overdrive from her condition, and she squealed in delight as he cupped one of her tender breasts in his hand.

“Tom, take me, please,” she panted, arching her back.

He began to roll his hips, his pelvis slapping into her lush backside as he continued his attentions to her breast. He kissed her neck and she shivered in pleasure; her walls clenched rhythmically around his cock, pulling him deeper with each thrust. He moved his hand down to pinch at her pearl, which was peeking out from its hood, desperate for his attention; her breathy moans became louder as his skilled fingers manipulated it just how she liked it.

To his surprise, she suddenly scooted away from him, and pushed him onto his back. She straddled him and ground her hips down, letting his shaft slip just between her outer folds. He grunted in pleasure as her breasts swung tantalizingly in front of him, and she leaned down, inviting him to take a stiff nipple in his mouth.

He suckled at her as she grasped his cock and slid down on him, enveloping him once again in her wet warmth. She braced her hands on either side of his torso as she rolled her hips eagerly; he could tell she was close to her release, and he began to meet her movements with short thrusts.

She reached down and began frantically rubbing her pearl; then, she loosed a guttural cry as her cunny clamped down on him. Her body shook with the force of her climax, and the feel of her muscles rippling around him sent him over the edge. He moaned in ecstasy as he pumped his seed inside of her – where it had already taken root – and he clutched her to him as she collapsed on his chest. He slid out of her and could not contain the sense of enormous satisfaction as he felt the evidence of their coupling leaking out of her onto his pelvis.

“You are mine, Aurelia,” he murmured, kissing her deeply.

“Always, Tom,” she replied, and she fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next morning she was surprised to find that, for the first time, she had slept through his departure. She quickly pulled on her clothes and hurried downstairs, feeling weak. She grabbed a small cup of water and downed it before crossing into the lounge.

To her surprise, Jeanne, Estelle, Leonie, and Marguerite were seated on the sofas, apparently waiting for her.

“So… your  _lord_  isn’t coming tonight, we hear,” Marguerite said with a satisfied smirk.

Aurelia stared at her and felt the blood drain from her face. The other girls were laughing.

“Must’ve finally tired of you,” Estelle said. “So tonight… for the first time since you arrived here… you’re just going to be a regular whore like the rest of us, ripe for the fucking.”

Aurelia could feel the sour bile rising in her throat, but she swallowed hard. “You are lying.”

“We heard him talking to the Madam an hour ago, while  _your highness_ was still asleep,” Leonie taunted. “He said he’d be back tomorrow. He also said no one was to touch you in his absence… but Madam Claudette doesn’t put stock in those sort of requests, you know. It’s not the first time we’ve heard ‘I’ll be back’ from some cad who immediately disappears.”

Aurelia was panicking now, and she frantically looked around the lounge for somewhere to retch. Finally she ran to the small room off to the side which held the nearest chamber pot and became violently ill.

The girls’ laughter became louder.

“ _Hey, Leonie, you were right – that has been her throwing up!_ ”

“ _I bet her English lord left her with a special parting gift…_ ”

Aurelia wiped the tears from her face with a handkerchief and spit a few more times into the chamber pot.

Jeanne’s voice carried behind her. “ _Filthy, stupid little slut. We’ll make sure you really earn your keep tonight._ ”


	4. Chapter 4

_Come back to me, Tom. Please come back to me…_

That was the only thought Aurelia could formulate with any clarity as she watched the patrons enter that night. She wondered if the girls were wrong, if Madam Claudette would keep her untouched as Tom had asked before he left that morning.

Somehow, she doubted it.

The cruel sneers of the girls remained etched on their faces as the men walked in, one after the other. The regulars drank and joked with their favorites, until one of them finally noticed that Aurelia was still there – much later than usual.

“Where’s your Englishman, missy?” he asked. “Running late, is he?”

“No, no, didn’t you hear?” Jeanne said in a mock whisper. “He has abandoned her now that he’s bred her.”

The regulars stared at her with glee. “Is that so?” one of them crowed. “Pumped you so full that you’ll have a little Englishman of your own in a few months, did he?”

Aurelia’s face was flushed crimson and, although her throat ached with the longing to weep, she remained stonefaced.

“Didn’t think that skinny, pale asshole had it in him!” another bellowed. “Good for him, getting one on her. I like it when a woman’s so good and fucked that she gets a bellyful. Show us, Aurelia!”

“You could see  _more_ than her belly, you know,” Leonie said. “He’s not coming back, so she’s free for the taking.”

“Is that so?”

Six pairs of greedy, menacing eyes fell on Aurelia, and her heart beat so fast that she thought she might faint.

“Maybe you could put on a show for us, boys,” Estelle shouted. “The madam’s out for a bit, so why don’t you have your way with her right here?”

There was a brief moment where time seemed to freeze; then, everything seemed to happen at once. They moved quickly. She was on her feet in an instant, running for the stairway in a futile attempt to escape, but one of them grabbed her around the waist and swung her around with such force that the breath was knocked out of her. Gasping for air, her mind reeled in terror as they pushed and pulled her, laughing raucously and taunting her.

They threw her onto one of the tables and she clawed uselessly at the edges as four of them held her down. Another positioned himself near her head while the other forcibly pulled her legs apart.

“ _No!_ ”she screamed, but they all roared with laughter – and then, to her horror, she felt fingers, thick, greasy fingers probing at her, thrusting inside of her as she screamed even louder. “ _No, no, please God, no, stop, please!_ ”

“She’s asking God to save her!” The man near her head laughed. He was undoing his trousers as he leaned down to whisper in her ear: “I have news for you, little Miss Aurelia: God doesn’t care about whores…  _and whores don’t get to say ‘no.’”_

She kept screaming with all of her strength when she soon realized her scream was the only sound in the room. The laughter of the women had disappeared, the lewd comments of the men silenced, and so Aurelia, too, stopped screaming. Then, she heard another sound – a gurgling, choking noise. She lifted her head up.

The man whose fingers had, a moment ago, been cruelly molesting her, now stood slumping backwards against Tom’s chest, blood gushing from the gaping knife wound in his throat.

Aurelia sat all the way up and stared as Tom pushed him to the floor. His teeth were bared, his eyes reflecting pure hatred. His blade glistened with the dead man’s blood as he looked around the room.

He said nothing – he simply extended his hand to her. She took it, and he pulled her to him.

Then, he wiped the knife clean on the dead man’s trousers, sheathed it back beneath his cloak, and stalked towards the door. He looked at everyone except Aurelia, silently daring them to breathe a word, to make a move.

No one did.

Out in the street, he escorted her into a waiting carriage. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her tightly, holding her to him as closely as he could.

They rode in silence for a few moments; Aurelia could feel her heartbeat returning to normal, her trembling beginning to cease. Finally he met her gaze.

“I am so sorry,” he said hoarsely. “I am so sorry. It is my fault.”

“No,” she breathed. “No… you saved me.”

“I barely saved you from something that I could have prevented entirely, had I simply taken you with me this morning,” he said.

“You had no way of knowing – ”

“I knew those girls were jealous of you, that they resented you – it did not cross my mind how deep their hatred ran until I heard your screams…”

“How did it come to be that you were close by?” Aurelia asked.

“I was making private arrangements with a banker – I bribed him to break some rules for me so that we could transfer some of my money to the Americas, so we would not be starting out with nothing – obviously that is the sort of business that isn’t conducted in the light of day…”

“Thank God you were in the area,” Aurelia whispered.

“Those screams, Aurelia…  _your_ screams…” A tear ran down his face. “I could not bear it if…”

“Tom,” she murmured, brushing away his tear. “Tom. You saved me. I am fine. Do you not see me here, with you, next to you?” She held his face with both hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. “I am here, and I am with you. That is all that matters.”

“They molested you – they – ”

She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again, her expression resolute. “I have endured worse. Now, we endure together. Whatever the future holds.”

They clasped hands as the carriage rumbled on.

 ***

The laughing baby boy bounced happily on the knee of his nanny.

“Louis, you be good with Sarah,” Aurelia cautioned him. “Mama and Papa will be back soon.”

“You know he can’t understand you,” Tom said as he came up behind her, grinning.

“He’s very smart. I think he understands more than you know,” she replied, looking up at him and giving his hand a squeeze. “Sarah, you know where the inn is if there is any sort of emergency. We will be back late tomorrow morning.”

“Or tomorrow afternoon,” Tom corrected, an eyebrow raised and a smirk playing across his thin lips.

Aurelia rolled her eyes. “We will be back before dinner, in any event.”

“Of course, Mistress,” Sarah replied, smiling. “Master Louis and I will have a fine time, won’t we, young man?”

The baby giggled and drooled in response.

“Come, love, the carriage is waiting.” Tom murmured as he led her to the door.

He was all hands the moment they got in, and given that this was getaway was to celebrate their much-awaited physical reunion two months after the birth of their child, she happily reciprocated. By the time they got to the inn, their clothes were somewhat rumpled and their faces flushed.

They were led to their room, in the far corner of the building, and he closed the door behind them. She turned and looked at him expectantly.

“My sweet Aurelia,” he murmured. “You look as you did the night we met…”

She thought for a moment. “Terrified?”

He smiled. “No, sweetling… you look stunning.”

She ran her hands down his chest. “Ah… but then, I was a desperate prostitute, friendless and alone. Now… I am a woman married to a handsome, loving man, and I am a mother to a beautiful baby boy. And I live in a lovely home with a farm. Massachusetts is not France, perhaps… but it is still beautiful.”

“So you are happy, my dear?”

She nodded. “But,” she added, “I will be happier once you have made love to me again.” She kissed his neck. “I have missed you so…”

His breathing grew heavier. “Will you undress me, love?”

She smiled and complied, just as she used to do, undoing his waistcoat before removing his shirt and trousers.

“Tom… my dress is so tight,” she whispered teasingly. “Would you help me with it?”

With a satisfied grin, he clasped her bodice with both hands and ripped it from top to bottom.


End file.
